Houston Not Bowling

[Mustangs35SMU]

Saw this on the CUSA Board thought I should post it

Monday, November 28, 2005.

Dear Cougar Fans:

Many of you have called about our possible opportunities for a bowl appearance this year. I have had many conversations regarding the matter with the conference office as well as with bowl people. As you may be aware Conference USA has affiliation with five bowls, Liberty, GMAC, Hawaii, New Orleans (this year to be played in Lafayette) and Fort Worth.

For the first time Conference USA has a championship game between the West and East Champion. Central Florida, the champion of the east and Tulsa the champion of the west will play on December 3rd at the home site of the team with the best record. The game will be played in the Citrus Bowl with Central Florida as the host.

This year we have six teams in our conference that have six wins and are bowl eligible. In our conference call today the athletic directors urged the conference to do all it can to place the sixth team in another bowl. This will cost the conference dollars, but, everyone agrees that we do not want an eligible team left out of a bowl this year. The selection and placement process will not take place until after the championship game on the 3rd. The Liberty Bowl has the right for the first selection.

At the present time we are not at the top of the list of any of the bowls tied to our conference. That could change and we are doing all we can to make it happen. This is not a matter of the conference or the other AD’s not working for us---they are all in agreement that we should do all we can to get all six eligible teams in a bowl. The decisions are now up to the bowls to make a decision based upon not only record, but alums traveling to the game as well as satisfying the television audience.

I will of course let you all know as soon as possible the status of the bowl situation. Thanks for your continued support and great interest. We appreciate you.

Sincerely,

Dave Maggard

[Charleston Pony]

SMU fans should be very concerned out football team will meet the same fate if/when they become "bowl eligible" in the near future. I sure hope the guys can roll an 8-4 or better season because SMU's dismal fan support will cause the same reaction from bowl reps if SMU hopes to get in as a 7-5 team. Those who think a winning program will suddenly fix our attendance woes are ignoring one of the main reasons SMU, Rice, Houston and TCU were snubbed to begin with...with the exception of a few years in our modern histories, all of our programs have struggled to put respectable crowds in our stadiums/arenas.

[Cheesesteak]

Charleston Pony is likely right that SMU would need 8 wins or more (plus participation in the CUSA championship game?) to be assured of a bowl invitation - unless we had a really compelling story that attracted media attention/fan interest throughout much of the season.

I suspect that the compelling story would have to be more than "SMU is chasing/has a winning record".

[Charleston Pony]

an 8 win season would give SMU an opportunity to become a "media darling". You know, that whole "rose from the ashes of the death penalty" theme. Marketing dept will have to be ready to jump on that story and really hype things. May be our last chance to attract a big enough following to impress recruits and get this thing back on track CONSISYENTLY. I agree with Bennett when he says if he can get a kid to visit (and see our campus and facilities) he's got a shot at signing that kid.

[PlanoStang]

We got snubbed in 72 with a 7-4 record with an All-America Robert
Popelka in the secondary who I think set an SMU record for interceptions
that year. Might even still be a record.

[abezontar]

The bowl picture in 72 was drastically different than it is today, close to have of the D1-A teams get to go to a bowl, someone on the CUSA board said all but 7 or eight teams that have a 6-5 or better record get to go to a bowl this year. Not saying that we wouldn't be one of those 7 or 8 teams left out if we were to happen to have a winning record, just that it wouldn't be all that likely.

[planoponyfan]

There are roughly 64 teams that are bowl eligible this year. I say "roughly" because some of those 6 wins were against I-AA teams and don't count toward eligiblity.

28 bowl games with 56 slots to fill means 8 eligible teams get left out.

Bottom line, you better have a conference championship or 7 wins under your belt if you hope to go bowling.

[DiamondM]

That's tough for Houston, and a good reason why the more affiliations the better -- 5 is pretty good for a non-BCS conference with 12 teams.

But I disagree that SMU would have to have 8 next year to go bowling. The story of SMU's first bowl will be hard for a no-name bowl (and even casual viewers) to resist. If you are a lower tier bowl and you want some press coverage from national media, you'll probably pick SMU -- it's a much bigger story than Houston vs. Wyoming or some such.

[smupony94]

If SMU goes bowling next year how many fans will show up?

[Captain E J Smith]

Wild Cherry Perhaps?

[BUS]

If we go to a bowl game I think you would be surprised at the number of people that would go. Count two for me and my wife.

[Mustangs35SMU]

If we go to a bowl game I think you would be surprised at the number of people that would go. Count two for me and my wife.

Amen to that. I'd bring atleast (counts) 8. Probably more.

[Dutch]

I'm very happy with the performance this season, but everyone here needs to pull back on the reigns. Let's enjoy what we've got and not start worrying about a bowl just yet.

Win the games and all that nonsence will sort itself out.

[BUS]

Come on - It's Christmas...
We did not say we ARE going to a Bowl game but IF......

If, means you need to have the money to go, so tuck some away NOW.

Credit Card debt is no good so save now and IF it happens - ENJOY

[EastStang]

I guess it depends which bowl we go to. If its to the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas eve in Hawaii, might not be a big contingent. If its to the Ft. Worth or New Orleans Bowl, a bigger contingent. GMAC - a small contingent. Motor City, not many (Detroit in December???) Liberty, on New Year's Eve. Not as many as we would like, but I would certainly be there.